Power grabs in a republic rarely happen by brute force. They often happen quietly and steadily without fanfare or publicity. Marxist Antonio Gramsci called it “the long march through the institutions.” C.S. Lewis said “…the safest road to Hell is the gradual one–the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.” TABOR opponents use this incremental strategy in an effort to undermine TABOR support and enforcement. How do they do this? Continue reading →
Under the scrutiny of the national media, John Hickenlooper’s official campaign for President has gotten off to a rocky start. Most of the national media coverage following his announcement has focused on his refusal to be labeled a capitalist during an interview on MSNBC. In a characteristic Colorado style, local TV anchor Kyle Clark tweeted, “’I may be a capitalist,’ @Hickenlooper writes. His 180 turned into a 360 now a 540. That’s @SeanWhite-level rotation.”
John Hickenlooper
In his prepared launch video, and in media appearances since then, Colorado’s former governor has been regularly touting his role in Colorado’s booming economy. It’s true that Colorado has been ranked as the nation’s #1 economy. We’re consistently on lists of the best places to live and work in the U.S., and we attract hundreds of thousands of new residents every year.
Still, the fact is that our economy isn’t thriving because of John Hickenlooper. In actuality, a majority of the credit goes to the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) – a unique law that allows Coloradans to vote on any and all tax increase.
It’s a simple concept – lawmakers have to make the case to voters in order to get more of their hard-earned money. TABOR also provides guardrails for the size of government. State spending still grows every year, but it’s limited to inflation plus population growth. The end result of TABOR is to keep the government truly serving the people. Continue reading →
The legislature has a $33B budget and a $1.4B surplus this year. That’s more than enough money. Voters have rejected tax hike after tax hike on the ballot. This will be no different.
Colorado Democrats plan to trick voters into killing TABOR
As expected, Democratic lawmakers announced their intent to keep all taxpayer money and permanently set aside the spending cap that is key to the effectiveness of the Colorado’s Taxpayers Bill of Rights (TABOR), an amendment to the state constitution passed in 1992 that requires state and local government to seek voter approval before raising taxes. The measure also limits growth in state spending to population growth, plus inflation, and if the state takes in more than it is allowed to spend, the state must return the surplus to taxpayers.
TABOR is simple it’s about consent. Our government can raise taxes, but it has to ask first. Democrats in the State House and Senate don’t think they should have to ask first. In addition to seeking voter approval for additional taxes, TABOR fosters good, fair, and consensual government.
Are you sick and tired on certain politicians trying to weasel their way out of, or ignoring, TABOR?
Someone needs to do something about it, isn’t that right?
Why not you?
Yes, you read that right.
If not you, then who?
Why not? It’s a great time to get involved
We could use your help, talents, and skills defending the gold standard called Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights.
Come join us to keep Colorado, Colorado.
It’s easy.
We’re looking forward to having you help Colorado.
See below on how you can make a difference.
Both the TABOR Foundation and TABOR Committee have received huge numbers of requests for assistance and participation.
Your Colorado TABOR team is overwhelmed and needs your help!
Would you be willing to assist us with any of the following?
In a growing partisan culture, there’s still something Coloradans ranging the political spectrum can agree on: the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR).
In recent public polling, when given the simple, unbiased definition, 71 percent of registered voters in Colorado support TABOR, while only 28 percent oppose the law.
What’s the secret to this overwhelming popularity? First, Coloradans love being able to vote on tax increases. It’s simple: the government has to make the case to voters in order to get more of their hard-earned money.
Michael Fields
Second, TABOR provides guardrails for the size of government. The state budget still grows every year, but the growth is limited. TABOR keeps the government truly serving the people.
Over the past several years, voters have sent a message to state lawmakers by voting down the last six statewide tax increases on the ballot — most by huge margins.
But this hasn’t stopped lawmakers and progressive special interest groups from developing workarounds in the form of fees, enterprises, and lawsuits to allow the state to spend more taxpayer money. Continue reading →
Are you tired of voting at the polls to keep Democrats from taking your hard earned money?
Well, you may have to do it again with Democrats wanting to take another swing at TABOR.
According to the Colorado Sun, Democrat lawmakers want voters to permanently set aside spending caps in the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.
House Speaker KC Becker, from Boulder, is drafting the measure. Becker at a town hall meeting pleaded, “I’m asking voters ‘Can you let the state keep the revenue we are already collecting?’”
Translation: We’re entitled to keep more of the money we are stealing from you.
The measure would allow the state to keep as much as $960 million in your tax dollars through June 2020.
Why #TABOR Matters:
Letting you vote on #tax increases.
If it’s worthwhile, then make the case for it instead of trying to ram it down our throats….
#coleg
Hospital fees that have generated billions of dollars in Colorado are legal and do not violate Colorado’s Taxpayers Bill of Rights, according to a Denver District Court ruling.
The Wednesday ruling found that the Hospital Provider Fee and the subsequent Healthcare Affordability and Sustainability Fee are “fees, and not taxes, and therefore are not subject to TABOR,” according to a Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) news release.
The ruling is in favor of the health care policy department and the Colorado Department of the Treasury.
In 2015, the TABOR Foundation filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the fees. The hospital provider fee is a charge imposed on hospital stays that other states refer to as a “bed tax.”
Power grabs in a republic rarely happen by brute force. They often happen quietly and steadily without fanfare or publicity. Marxist Antonio Gramsci called it “the long march through the institutions.” C.S. Lewis said “…the safest road to Hell is the gradual one–the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.” TABOR opponents use this incremental strategy in an effort to undermine TABOR support and enforcement. How do they do this? Continue reading 
Michael Fields